Cowcorner

Login

James Anderson justified the selectors' faith in picking him for the second Test as England took charge on day two in Wellington.

The Lancashire seamer, surprisingly named in the XI ahead of both Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison, led a new-look seam attack by taking 5-73 as New Zealand were bowled out for 198 in their first innings.

The tourists were forced to bat for a brief session before the close, reaching 4-0 in five overs to finish with a commanding lead of 148 in their attempts to square the three-match series.

England had also started the day at the crease, their final five first-innings wickets adding another 51 runs before they were bowled out for 342.

Left unbeaten on 97 overnight, Tim Ambrose managed to survive a nervy start to register his maiden international century before falling for 102.

The wicketkeeper-batsman played and missed several times before eventually getting enough bat on ball to edge Jacob Oram for a streaky boundary through the vacant third slip region to reach three figures.

However by the next over he was on his way, edging Kyle Mills low to Ross Taylor at second slip. He had hit 16 fours and two sixes in just short of three hours at the crease.

His departure also ended a stand of 164 for the sixth wicket with Collingwood, who perished lbw to Mark Gillespie to the first ball after the drinks break for a patient 65.

In between Stuart Broad had the misfortune of seeing a leg side ball deflect off his thigh pad and onto his stumps to become Oram's third wicket of the innings.

Gillespie mopped up the final two wickets to finish with flattering figures of 4-79, Ryan Sidebottom and Monty Panesar falling in successive deliveries to leave New Zealand facing a tricky spell against the new ball before lunch.

It proved to be too much for openers Matthew Bell and Jamie How, both departing to Anderson away swingers during an impressive nine-over opening spell either side of the interval.

England's gain was certainly New Zealand's pain considering the fast bowler had controversially been allowed to turn out for Auckland last week to get some overs under his belt.

The one-off appearance had certainly paid off and when Mathew Sinclair became his third victim at the start of the afternoon's play, the hosts were in deep trouble at 31-3.

But, just as Ambrose had done the previous day, Taylor arrived at the crease and immediately looked to be positive under pressure.

He dominated a fourth-wicket stand of 71 with Stephen Fleming who was more than happy to drop anchor in his attempts to make a long-awaited first Test hundred on his home ground before he retires.

The former captain managed to become the first New Zealander to score 7,000 Test runs before giving his wicket away on 34 with a careless prod at a short delivery from Anderson that offered a simple catch to Kevin Pietersen at point.

Taylor followed soon after, Anderson getting him caught behind for 53 to register his fourth Test five-wicket haul, though from the other seamers took over.

Sidebottom trapped Oram lbw for just eight and after briefly threatening to hit his team out of trouble, Brendon McCullum (25) was undone by a good length delivery from England's other fresh face Broad that found the outside edge and flew low to the right of first slip where Andrew Strauss took a good catch.

All-rounder Collingwood claimed the last three wickets, the not-so-mighty batting trio of Mills, Gillespie and Martin contributing just two runs between them.

The tail's capitulation in the face of some gentle medium pace left Daniel Vettori on 50 not out, the home captain having continued his fine form from Hamilton with seven fours and a six over third man in his 47-ball knock.